Merry and Scott. Had a lovely dinner with Randy here in Sydney this month:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum97/HTML/000231.html
I must say spending a few hours with him changed entirely what my preconceptions had been. YES he has 30 something staff, so YES Frequent Flying matters is a BIG business for him. He outlined areas to me he is involved in that would surprise many here. And I feel someone who can employ that many staff ENTIRELY on frequent flyer related areas
does make him a GURU of the genre, judged by the clear success of the venture he started from nothing but an idea. No other person or company in the world comes close to what he does.
He told me he got into this 20 years ago with a few $1000 capital and grew it from there on a wing and prayer. Good on him - a self made success.
To be flying around all over (I recall him mentioning 250,000 miles in a year) at his OWN expense is a sign of high principles. He mentioned a $ figure to me he spends on his personal air travel that sure surprised me. A great deal of it in coach. This man could I am sure expect gratis First worldwide from most carriers by simply making a call, but said it does not allow him to be as objective as he otherwise could be, and he confirms that on the thread above. I admire that. He chose to go on the Latin Pass run as he thought it sounded like fun. He paid for the coach tickets and suffered the same hassles and frustrations as all others here who flew it. Great stuff, and flying and points and deals are still in his blood it seems very much to me.
I imagine it is no news to anyone reading these boards that I am no sycophant or "yes man" to anyone. However, I really think Merry's comment above about Randy's "shameless self publicity" is way off. If anything Randy in my view does
NOT plug his money making areas virtually at all on these boards. Indeed, if you do
not visit
www.webflyer.com the money making core of what he does is not evident at all.
He told me a $ figure this board costs him annually and even with the few paid banner ads he says he is substantially behind dollar wise. And he also said he would not dream of changing things as he regards the 1000s of users on this board as his instant research lab, and sounding post for what is wrong and right in his core business area. These boards are the real-time pulse rates of the airlines and Hotel plans. He among other things is a consultant to many areas. Knowing what we like and do not like makes him money.
We are wittingly or unwittingly his cross section and voice, for or against recent Corporate policies. Witness the Delta forums link at top of
every airline forum page of FT right now. I have never flown Delta, but a core of those here have managed to speak for the entire Delta Flyer membership it seems. And by their actions Delta may well water down the unpopular changes, whatever they were. And if that hapapnes, a lot of Delta fliers certainly will regard Randy as THEIR Guru methinks!
Just my 2¢ from the Olympic City.
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~ Glen ~
[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 09-30-2000).]